6533b838fe1ef96bd12a3ca5
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Hard-sphere fluids in annular wedges: density distributions and depletion potentials.
F. PesthVitalie BoţanMartin OettelTanja Schillingsubject
Depletion forceMaterials science: Physics [G04] [Physical chemical mathematical & earth Sciences]FOS: Physical sciencesHard spheresCondensed Matter - Soft Condensed MatterAtomic packing factorIntegral equationSolventCondensed Matter::Soft Condensed MatterColloidClassical mechanics: Physique [G04] [Physique chimie mathématiques & sciences de la terre]Chemical physicsSoft Condensed Matter (cond-mat.soft)SPHERESAnisotropydescription
We analyze the density distribution and the adsorption of solvent hard spheres in an annular slit formed by two large solute spheres or a large solute and a wall at close distances by means of fundamental measure density functional theory, anisotropic integral equations and simulations. We find that the main features of the density distribution in the slit are described by an effective, two--dimensional system of disks in the vicinity of a central obstacle. For large solute--solvent size ratios, the resulting depletion force has a straightforward geometrical interpretation which gives a precise "colloidal" limit for the depletion interaction. For intermediate size ratios 5...10 and high solvent packing fractions larger than 0.4, the explicit density functional results show a deep attractive well for the depletion potential at solute contact, possibly indicating demixing in a binary mixture at low solute and high solvent packing fraction.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-03-15 | Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics |